2011 NFL Draft Underclassmen

A list of officially declared underclassmen for the 2011 NFL Draft. I also offer my opinion on whether or not each prospect made a wise move by leaving school early.
This list has been updated on Jan. 19.

Justin Houston, DE/OLB, Georgia
Height: 6-3. Weight: 257. Projected 40 Time: 4.65. Projected Round (2011): 1-2.
Justin Houston could go as high as No. 21 to Kansas City or even No. 18 to San Diego, so he's making the right move.

Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn
Height: 6-6. Weight: 250. Projected 40 Time: 4.57. Projected Round (2011): Top 25 Pick.
Cam Newton could go as high as No. 3 to Buffalo, but will probably be selected in the teens. He had to declare; his chances of getting away with another 1-year, $180,000 contract were pretty slim.

Tyler Sash, SS, Iowa
Height: 6-1. Weight: 210. Projected 40 Time: 4.60. Projected Round (2012): 3-4.
Not sure if Tyler Sash is desperate for money or not, but this is a poor football move. He is 23 though, so you can't blame him for declaring early.

Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
Height: 6-1. Weight: 218. Projected 40 Time: 4.47. Projected Round (2011): Top 5 Pick.
One of the top cornerback prospects in a long time, Patrick Peterson could go as high as No. 2 overall.

Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech
Height: 5-10. Weight: 206. Projected 40 Time: 4.43. Projected Round (2011): 2-4.
Ryan Williams has a wide draft range because he really struggled in 2010, and will need a very strong Combine to move back into Round 2 consideration. Williams should have returned to school.

Robert Sands, S, West Virginia
Height: 6-5. Weight: 215. Projected 40 Time: 4.62. Projected Round (2011): 2-3.
Robert Sands is a Day 2 safety prospect. I don't feel strongly either way about his decision.

The Verdict: Mixed feelings

Underclassmen Declaring for the 2011 NFL Draft - Jan. 9:

Lawrence Guy, DE/DT, Arizona State
Height: 6-5. Weight: 293. Projected 40 Time: 4.91. Projected Round (2011): 3-4.
Lawrence Guy had a down year and is just a mid-round prospect. I don't get this decision.

The Verdict: Bad move

Underclassmen Declaring for the 2011 NFL Draft - Jan. 8:

John Clay, RB, Wisconsin
Height: 6-1. Weight: 248. Projected 40 Time: 4.64. Projected Round (2012): 7-FA.
John Clay lost his job last year and fell to third string on Wisconsin. He probably won't be drafted.

The Verdict: Irrelevant

Jamie Harper, RB, Clemson
Height: 6-0. Weight: 235. Projected 40 Time: 4.50. Projected Round (2011): 3-4.
I'm all for running backs avoiding injury, but Jamie Harper is a late Day 2 prospect (at best) entering a league that currently doesn't have a high demand for running backs.

Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
Height: 6-5. Weight: 260. Projected 40 Time: 4.64. Projected Round (2011): Top 20 Pick.
Aldon Smith is a highly athletic pass-rusher with a ton of upside who produced as a mere redshirt freshman at Missouri. He should come off the board in the early teens.

Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama - Scouting Report
Height: 5-10. Weight: 215. Projected 40 Time: 4.44. Projected Round (2011): Top 25 Pick.
If you're a running back projected to go in the top two rounds, you almost have to declare early to avoid injury.

The Verdict: Good move

Thomas Keiser, DE/OLB, Stanford
Height: 6-5. Weight: 252. Projected 40 Time: 4.75. Projected Round (2011): 3-4.
At least one Stanford Cardinal made the right decision today. Thomas Keiser is a mid-round prospect, but is currently an academic senior. With a new coach at Stanford, Keiser is making the right move.

J.J. Watt, DE/DT, Wisconsin
Height: 6-6. Weight: 287. Projected 40 Time: 4.90. Projected Round (2011): Top 20 Pick.
J.J. Watt's pretty much in the same situation that Cameron Heyward was in last year - a Big Ten defensive lineman capable of playing the 3-4 or 4-3 projected to go in the top 20. Unlike Heyward, Watt's making the right decision by declaring a year early. He just had a monstrous year.

Brandon Harris, CB, Miami
Height: 5-11. Weight: 195. Projected 40 Time: 4.41. Projected Round (2011): Top 20 Pick.
So much for being "85-percent sure" about returning to school. Brandon Harris was the No. 3 corner in the 2011 NFL Draft, but getting torched by Michael Floyd in a winter practice game wasn't a good sign. Still, it's a good move because there's a coaching change in Miami.

Jordan Todman, RB, Connecticut
Height: 5-9. Weight: 189. Projected 40 Time: 4.41. Projected Round (2011): 2-3.
Jordan Todman is striking while the iron's hot. He has a good chance of being drafted in the second round.

DeAndre Brown, WR, Southern Miss
Height: 6-6. Weight: 228. Projected 40 Time: 4.48. Projected Round (2011): 4-6.
DeAndre Brown is injury-prone and lethargic. He also has character issues. Some team may give him a chance because of his unbelievable talent, but other teams won't even have him on their draft board.

Jurrell Casey, DT, USC
Height: 6-1. Weight: 295. Projected 40 Time: 5.04. Projected Round (2011): 2.
Jurrell Casey will likely be drafted in the second round. He apparently needs the money for a sick family member, which is a shame because he could use another year at USC.

Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Height: 6-6. Weight: 285. Projected 40 Time: 5.02. Projected Round (2011): 2.
Tyron Smith is a young tackle with a ton of upside. The problem is that sub-300-pound tackles are seldom drafted in the first round. His draft status really depends on how he performs and weighs in at the Combine.